Kings College Fellowship

Each Fall semester, the English Department selects one interested graduate student to assist with Penn's undergraduate study-abroad program at King's College in London. This fellowship is typically held by a fourth-year student, or sometimes a fifth-year. It provides $4,000 in additional funds to help cover travel and the higher cost of living in London. Note, however, that owing to budgetary constraints the fellowship no longer covers tuition, stipend, insurance, and fees—i.e., that it no longer permits the holder to bank a semester of fellowship for later use. Thus it is only recommended for those students who have research needs that can be met by a semester in London. If you are interested in applying for the fellowship, you should apply to the Graduate Chair by January 31 of the intended fellowship year. Applications should consist of a brief (two-page, double-spaced) essay describing your research plan and specifying how it will be aided by a semester in London. You should also ask your committee chair to submit a letter of reference attesting to the timeliness of the semester in London vis-à-vis your work plan and your dissertation progress to date. By mid-February, the Graduate Executive Committee will select and announce the recipient of the Fellowship.

Note that housing arrangements may be available through Kings or other housing offices with which the Undergraduate Chair has made special arrangements. But to be eligible for such housing you probably need to give an early commitment, perhaps by May or June. In the past, most of our King's Fellows have found good housing situations by looking around on their own, though this has made for some anxious days and weeks upon arrival in London, where the housing market is notoriously tight.